NHL prospect dies after collision during game

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According to the New York Rangers website, former first-round draft pick Alexei Cherepanov died a few hours ago in Moscow.

According to reports from Russian-based media, Cherepanov was involved in a collision with teammate and former NHL star Jaromir Jagr while making a line change late in the third period of Continental Hockey League game Monday night, Moscow time.

Cherepanov, a 19-year-old Russian who was drafted 17th overall by the Rangers in 2007, was playing for the Avangard Omsk.

Cherepanov continued to the bench after the collision with Jagr, then collapsed, according to reports. He was taken to a local hospital, where efforts to revive him failed and he was pronounced dead, apparently of cardiac arrest.

-- Dan Arritt